Veteran drag racer Mark Pawuk’s Empaco-backed Dodge Drag Pak was adorned with a special tribute to NHRA Hall of Famer and close friend Don Schumacher at this weekend’s 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals, and in fitting honor, Pawuk drove it all the way to the winner’s circle in race one of the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series.
“Don and I were very close, and I reached out to his stepdaughter Megan and asked if I could do a car in his memory,” said an emotional Pawuk in the staging lanes after his win. “We’re going to celebrate him at a couple races, and it’s just so cool.
“I’ve always wanted to win the Gatornationals – this has always been one of my most favorite races, and to do it with my wife and daughter here and all the people helping me. Unfortunately, Kyle, my son had to leave to get a flight home, so he left right before the semis. It was not the same without him on the starting line, but I’m glad I could do this for Don every round.”
No. 3 qualifier Pawuk had to take on three tough Chevrolet COPO Camaro competitors in each round except for his semifinals bye run. Throughout the day, he showed he was up to the task, leaving the starting line on time and hitting his shift points.
“I drove good all day, [but] I was a tad late in the final,” said Pawuk, who has won eight Wallys in his career, including two in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series. “Look at the parity between the three classes. You had cars running 7.79 and a couple 7.80s. so all three brands – Dodge, Ford, and Chevy – all ran right together. I think they did a great job of standardizing everything and getting us all so we can be competitive again.”
In the first round, Pawuk took on Lee Hartman in one of the best races of the day; the two drivers left the starting line together and swapped the lead down-track. Hartman was ahead for the first 400 feet, and then Pawuk moved around him to take the win. The elapsed times at the finish line favored Pawuk, 7.796-second to 7.839.
The quarterfinals featured Pawuk squaring off with another Chevrolet COPO Camaro. There, No. 6 qualifier Anthony Troyer gave Pawuk a run for the money. Pawuk was first to leave the line, then Troyer moved to the lead before the Dodge Drag Pak’s power kicked in to send Pawuk to the semifinals. The margin of victory was approximately six feet at the finish line, with Pawuk’s 7.784 at 176.51 mph getting the win light over Troyer’s 7.800, 173.41.
“Everybody worked really hard on this program this winter, especially Mike Valeria, who’s been helping me the last couple of years,” said Pawuk. “He really spent a lot of time just finding every little nook and cranny, and David Barton on our engine program has been great. I am driving better than I have in a few years. Hopefully, I can keep that up. It seems like when the car comes around, the driver does better too. I wish I was cutting .010 [-second reaction times] and .020s off the line, but I’ve been cutting a lot of .030s, and that’s a lot better in .070s and .080s. I’m very happy, and I really appreciate Flexjet being back out here and the support they give us.”
Prior to Pawuk’s run, David Janac and David Davies III squared off with Janac’s Ford Cobra Jet taking the win, but after the finish line, the Ford contacted the guard wall and spun down-track in spectacular fashion. When the racecar came to a stop, Janac exited the vehicle under his own power, but he was unable to return to racing action. Pawuk was handed a bye to the final round after outrunning Anthony Troyer in the next pair.
In the final, Pawuk faced his final COPO Camaro competitor of the day, 2023 series runner-up Stephen Bell, who came to the event sporting the Flexjet bounty target. Pawuk was first off the line, and when Bell spun the tires, he was able to take a sizeable lead that would ultimately translate to victory and the Flexjet $1,000 bounty.
Pawuk heads to the NHRA Winternationals as the points leader and carrying the $1,000 bounty.
He thanked Ohio CAT, CAT Reynolds storage, and Mr. Heater, Heat Star, Summit Racing Equipment, Red Line Oil, and Dodge, as well as VP Fuel, Mickey Thompson and Diamond Pistons.
